Austrian Chancellor Vows to Maintain Coalition Despite Green Minister's EU Vote

Austria's Chancellor Karl Nehammer has vowed to keep his conservative government in coalition with the Green party, despite their environment minister's support for an EU plan that Nehammer opposes.

Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer has stated that his conservative Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) will continue its current coalition government with its junior partner, the Green party. This decision comes despite Environment Minister Leonore Gewessler's vote on Monday in favor of the European Union's (EU) Nature Restoration plan, which Nehammer strongly opposes.

Gewessler's vote in the EU ballot earlier on Monday has ignited a domestic political debate and angered the senior partner in the coalition government. Speculations had been growing about whether Nehammer would break up the coalition government ahead of the national election set for September 29th.

Austrian Chancellor Vows to Maintain Coalition Despite Green Minister's EU Vote

However, Nehammer has emphasized his responsibility as federal chancellor to ensure stability until the parliamentary elections. "The emotion would be there" for an end to the coalition, Nehammer told journalists, "but it is my responsibility, as federal chancellor, to ensure an orderly path" until the parliamentary elections, according to Austrian public broadcaster ORF.

The Austrian Chancellery had previously informed the Belgian EU presidency that Gewessler's vote in favor of the plan would be unlawful, the Austria Press Agency reported. Nehammer's office later stated that Austria plans to file a suit at the European Court of Justice to nullify the vote.

Austrian Chancellor Vows to Maintain Coalition Despite Green Minister's EU Vote

Additionally, Nehammer's party announced that it would press criminal charges against Gewessler for alleged abuse of office.

The Nature Restoration plan is part of the EU's European Green Deal, which aims to establish ambitious climate and biodiversity targets and position the bloc as a global leader in climate issues.

In the lead-up to the EU elections that saw a shift to the right earlier this month, European farmers expressed concerns about the numerous environmental regulations governing their work, arguing that they hindered their livelihoods and imposed excessive bureaucratic burdens.

Nehammer himself faces pressure in Austria after the far-right Freedom Party narrowly defeated the chancellor's ÖVP in the European Parliament election last week. The election witnessed significant gains for hard-right parties across the 27-nation bloc.

Following his party's defeat in the European election, Nehammer acknowledged substantial dissatisfaction among voters. He pledged that his party would work to address their concerns over the coming months, focusing on issues of migration and overregulation.

Nehammer's decision to maintain the coalition with the Green party, despite their differences on the EU plan, highlights the complexities of balancing political alliances and policy priorities. The upcoming national election will be a crucial test for the coalition and Austria's political landscape.